Incarceron

Incarceron is a thrilling new idea for lovers of fantasy fiction. I loved the idea of the falsely utopian future, in which everybody plays a part and has a hidden agenda. Incarceron is fresh and original, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The story follows the lives of Claudia and Finn. Claudia is the daugher of the warden of Incarceron, a prison of which there is no exit or entrance. She is betrothed to a spoiled prince she despises, and her mission is to find the lost true hair, Giles, whom she believes is inside Incarceron. Finn is a prisoner who is certain he came from Outside Incarceron, but everyone Inside insists it isn't possible. With a secret key Finn makes contact with Claudia, and the two are determined to find a way out of the prison following the stories of Sapphique, the only prisoner ever rumored to escape. But Incarceron is alive, and has other plans...

Kane Chronicles: The Throne Of Fire

The Throne of Fire was a mediocre follow-up to The Red Pyramid. This time, siblings Carter and Sadie Kane battle new enemies alongside new friends as they attempt to stop Apophis, the chaos snake from rising. If Apophis breaks free from his prison, he will swallow the sun, causing the apocalypse. The only way to prevent disaster is to find and resurrect Ra, the ancient sun god. Compared to Greek and Roman mythology, I find Egyptian mythology confusing, uninteresting, and far less believable. I am not a fan of the Kane Chronicles so far, but I will read the third and final book to find out how it all ends.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Fallen Angels

The Mortal Instruments series continues seamlessly with City of Fallen Angels. Three months after Valentine's fall in Idris, life in New York goes on. Clary and Jace are together and happy. Simon is getting used to being a vampire and dating Shadowhunter Isabelle and werewolf Maya. Jocelyn and Luke are planning their wedding. Alec and Magnus are traveling and celebrating their blossoming romance. Everything seems at peace, until the signs that Jace is being controlled through his dreams, and someone is trying to create more babies with demon blood. Everything is thrown into chaos when Clary's brother Jonathan is discovered not quite dead, and the demon Lilith plans to use Simon and Jace to resurrect him.

The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel is the first book in Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices series, which is a prequel to The Mortal Instruments. Tessa Gray has just arrived in London to visit her brother Nathaniel when she is abducted by two women called the Dark Sisters. The Sisters prepare Tessa for her union with the Magister by forcing her to tap into a previously unknown ability to transform into another person. When Tessa is rescued by a boy named Will and his fellow Shadowhunters she is drawn to his magnetic charisma and good looks, but held at bay by his abrasive demeanor. As a guest at the Shadowhunters' Institute, Tessa learns about the history of Downworlders, her family, and secrets about herself that she can't begin to understand as she sets out to find her missing brother and defeat the Magister.

Mockingjay

The third and final book in the Hunger Games series concludes one of the most creative pieces of art I've ever experienced. Katniss has been extracted from the Quarter Quell along with a few other Tributes and is told she is needed to act as a catalyst in the rebellion again the Capitol. As she deals with the shock of District 13's survival and grief from the new of Peeta's capture, Katniss accepts her role as the symbolic Mockingjay. The rebels begin to fight back as Katniss realizes some people might not have the best interest of Panem at heart, including Gale. Mockingjay was an inspiring and heartbreaking novel, and makes one really think about the conflicts of our society and the possible outcomes.

Catching Fire

The second book in The Hunger Games series hooked me from the first page. After surviving the Hunger Games, Katniss must choose between Peeta and Gale, both of whom are angry with her. But she doesn't have time to decide; soon after returning home from their Victory Tour, Katniss and Peeta discover they are to go back into the arena for the Quarter Quell, which will be the ultimate battle of the best victors. Knowing this time there will only be one survivor, Katniss makes it her mission to keep Peeta alive, knowing his goal is to do the same for her. Playing the game means facing allies and enemies, and trying to understand the Game Makers' strategy so she can ultimately beat the President at his own game once again. Catching Fire is an amazing follow up to The Hunger Games. On each page I could feel Katniss's rage at the President, and her agony over her conflicted and confused feelings for Peeta.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is a shocking novel that I could not put down. Katniss Everdeen is a sixteen-year-old living in the distant future. The United States has fallen and now consists of twelve districts ruled by the overbearing Capitol. Every year, one boy and one girl from each district are chosen to fight to the death in the televised Hunger Games. The winner's reward is a life of ease, free of poverty. For Katniss, volunteering to take her sister's place in the Games means leaving Gale, the only boy she might have loved, attempting to kill Peeta, whom she has befriended and has publicly announced his love for her, and accepting her own possible demise. The Hunger Games force Katniss to fight desperately for her life while the odds are against her, and each day she survives brings more unexpected twists, until she can no longer tell the difference between desperation and hope.

Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful

When We Were Beautiful was written for the 25th anniversary of the band, Bon Jovi. Phil Griffin went behind the scenes with the band on their Lost Highway tour to get the inside story on their time together. The many pictures included are beautiful, and I loved learning more about my favorite band, but i was expecting to see a little deeper into the rabbit hole. Bon Jovi gave their fans a nice collector's item, but the circle of secrecy surrounding the guys remains firmly intact.

Gathering Blue

Gathering Blue is called a "companion" to Lois Lowry's The Giver. Both books are set in future communities, but in Gathering Blue, humanity seems to have regressed. Kira is an orphaned cripple who in uncertain what her future will be, until she is given an important job in the community, and she meets other gifted children who are celebrated. But as the months pass, Kira wonders whethere her talent has brought her security or a prison. Lies and secrets are uncovered and Kira realizes her true purpose in her new life. I enjoy Lois Lowry's portrayals of a possible distant future, but after reading The Giver, I was expecting more from this book. The plot was slow and the characters weren't too bright. Maybe it's an ok read for very young readers, but it is by no means a spectacular book.

Maximum Ride: Angel

The seventh book in James Patterson's Maximum Ride series is a great prelude to the finale. The world is being brainwashed by the mysterious Doomsday Group, whose goal is to wipe out humanity and start over with a new generation of hybrid children. Still heartbroken after being abandoned by Fang, max leads the flock to once again save the world. When they come across Fang's new collection of superheroes, Max must decide whether to join forces, and whether she wants a future with Dylan or Fang. Angel is different from the previous books because this time the flock is grossly outnumbered and overwhelmed. the battle is gut-wrenching, and the book segways perfectly into the final installment. I can't wait to finally see how it all ends for Max and the flock.

Water For Elephants

Water For Elephants is a story by Sara Gruen about Jacob Jankowski and his travels with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show On Earth. By sheer luck Jacob has found himself employed by the circus after he has lost everything. As he learns the inner workings of show business, Jacob becomes entangled in a web of love, lies, jealousy, and murder. I loved Water For Elephants, and truly felt as if I were hearing the tale from an old man who had worked on a circus. The book instantly goes on my Top 10 list.

Safe Haven

Safe Haven is much more mysterious and darker than Nicholas Sparks's previous books. Katie is a new resident in the small town of Southport, North Carolina. She appears to be a good neighbor, although she is quiet and keeps to herself. When Katie falls for Alex and his two children, the safe life she has built quickly comes crashing down as two painful pasts catch up to her and she has nowhere left to run. Nicholas Sparks clearly puts much research into his novels, which yields strong characters and vivid scenes that make a beautiful story.

My Horizontal Life

Chelsea Handler's collection of one night stands is hilarious and horrifying at the same time. Her anecdotes are not relatable to most people and many had me laughing out loud, while more made me cringe. My Horizontal Life is not for the pure and chaste. I am far from innocent, but even I cannot grasp how one person can experience so many degrading situations without an ounce of self-loathing. I am only grateful that she is able to laugh and write about it all for my entertainment.

Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero

Heroes of Olympus is Rick Riordan's follow-up series to Percy Jackson & The Olympians. The series begins a few months after The Last Battle. Our new hero, Jason, has woken up on a school bus with no memory of who and where he is. When he and his demigod friends Piper and Leo are attacked, Annabeth Chase rescues them and takes them to Camp Half-Blood, where they learn that the infamous Percy Jackson has mysteriously vanished. There are many questions involving Jason and the new Great Prophecy. Why have the Olympians cut off all contact to their children? Who is keeping Hera imprisoned? Having never been to Camp Half-Blood, how did Jason learn to fight so skillfully? Why does he refer to the gods by their Roman identities, and who has erased his memories? After a treacherous quest, the campers discover Jason's origins, the key to finding Percy, and the certainty of something far worse than the Titan War just on the horizon.

The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel is the first book in The Infernal Devices trilogy, which is a prequel to Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. In the late 1800's, Tessa Gray has just moved to London from New York and is abducted by a pair of strange women called the Dark Sisters, who reveal to Tessa that she is something other than human. Tessa is thrown into the secret world of Shadowhunters, Downworlders, and demons, where she struggles to discover the truth about who she is while searching for her missing brother and falling for two Shadowhunters. Jem is beautiful, patient, and understanding, while Will is a tortured rebel who Tessa cannot figure out. I loved Clockwork Angel and am excited to read the rest of the series. The Shadowhunter world is unique and intriguing, and it is interesting to see the similarites to The Mortal Instruments and how the story began. I can hardly wait for all the secrets and mysteries to be unveiled in the coming books!

Witch & Wizard: The Gift

I was content, but not overly excited by the second book in James Patterson's Witch & Wizard series. The story continues seamlessly from the first. Whit and Wisty are leaders in the Resistance and trying to stay one step ahead of The One Who is The One, which seems impossible. The One is especially determined to get ahold of Wisty's "Gift", and the siblings fight for the lives of their friends, parents, and themselves while trying to uncover and control their Gifts. James Patterson has a way of making his stories relatable and intriguing. The series just isn't remarkable enough to sweep me away.

Crescendo

The sequel to Hush, Hush was greater than I ever could have hoped and almost too much to bear. My heart broke with every word I read, and the pages nearly dripped with abandonment and betrayal. I wanted to curl up and mourn for Nora as her comfortable world was ripped apart. Of course nothing is ever what it seems, but Crescendo paints a vivid picture of hopeless despair laced with tumultuous agony. I ache for more from Becca Fitzpatrick.

Hush, Hush

I loved this book! Loved, loved, loved. Instead of being a sappy love story about star-crossed lovers, Hush, Hush is full of mystery, intrigue, and desire. It is much darker than any other paranormal romance I've read. Halfway through the book, Nora still has no reason to suspect Patch is a fallen angel. But there is the question of whether he wants to harm her, save her, or simply seduce her. I loved the banter and attraction between Nora and Patch, and whether or not they end up together, the road to the end is riveting.

Fallen: Torment

I enjoyed reading Fallen and looked forward to the sequel, but for me Torment fell flat. I frequently found myself questioning Luce's judgement, and intelligence for that matter. There are so many questions surrounding Daniel, Luce, and the angels, I wonder if Lauren Kate even knows the answers or if she is making it up as she goes along. Why can Luce see the announcers? Clearly she's more than merely human, but do we really need to wait until the third book to know that? Why do some fallen angels look like high school students, while others appear much older? Also, the truce between the "good" fallen angels and the "evil" fallen angels seems random, and ends abruptly. On that note, did the author do any research on fallen angels before writing a series of novels about them? If they are "fallen", why weren't their wings stripped? Aren't the Nephilim supposed to be an abomination, not celebrated as being gifted? The worst part was the end. Instead of being left in suspense and anticipating the next book in the series, I was annoyed by Luce's stupidity and Daniel's weakness. Overall, I was disappointed by Torment.

Chronicles of Nick: Infinity

Ever try to read a book so excruciatingly painful you thought you might never pick up another book? This is it. I was torn between feeling appalled at the terrible writing and sentence composition, and intrigued by the promise of demons, zombies, werewolves, and something more mysterious. Nick, the main character, had conflicting personality characteristics and didn't seem at all developed. Also, I don't need or want to read about a 14-year-old boy's fantasies. After literally grinding my teeth and trudging through 100 pages of filth, I accepted Infinity as a waste of time and tossed it in the trash where it belongs without a second thought.

The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid

I had a hard time getting into Rick Riordan's first book in The Kane Chronicles. I knew the book was about Egyptian gods and mythology, so I expected it to thrill me as Percy Jackson & the Olympians had. But I know very little about egypt and less about Egyptian mythology. The relationship between siblings Carter and Sadie Kane is strained and unfamiliar, bordering on awkward. Bratty, condescending Sadie irritated me to no end, and I found myself rooting for Carter although the two were working toward the same goal. Near the end of the book it finally grabbed my interest. The Red Pyramid wrapped up nicely and I will read the next book, however I will not be waiting on the edge of my seat.